Bed-pan.



PATENTBD AUG. 7, 1906.

A. E. BBTTS.

BED PAN.

APPLIOATIOK FILED JULY 22, 1905.

Wihwaom UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

BED-PAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed July 22. 1905. Serial No. 270.785.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADELE E. Bn'rrs, of Kensington, in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Pans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The primary objects of this invention are to provide a sanitary bed-pan capable of being easily and thoroughly cleansed and also to avoid all danger of injury to or chilling a patient.

The invention comprehends the employment of a bed-pan composed of hard rubber and havinga removable rest-pad also of rubber, but preferably of soft rubber, so that it will yield under the Weight of a patient, such pad being faced with tubing. The two parts are secured together without the use of metallic fastening devices.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main or body portion of the pan, having a flat bottom 2 and an inclined top 3, with the usual tubular opening 4 at one end. This body is made of hard polished rubber, so that it will possess every sanitary advantage, may be readily cleansed, and at the same time not liable to be readily broken or injured in being knocked about. In the inclined top 3 is formed a circular opening 5, surrounding which is a groove or recess set at an angle to the axis of said opening.

6 designates a pad or cushion removably secured to the top of the vessel and forming a yielding rest for the patient. It has on its inner face a ring or flange 7, conforming to and designed to fit in the groove in the top of the vessel, and an outer fiat portion 8, both of which are of rubber, but preferably softer than that required for the body 1. The outer face of the flat portion 8 is covered by a tube 9, the convolutions of which are close together. The ends of this tube are preferably sealed, so as to form a pneumatic bearing for the patient. At the lower end this pad has a nose-like extension 10, forming a pocket toaccommoda-te the lower reduced end of the body of the vessel. The tube :9 also extends over the outer face of this noselike extension. This serves to prevent any portion of the pan other than that covered by the pad from contacting with the body of the patient.

In practice by grasping the pad near the tubular portion 4 of the pan and pulling upwardly thereon the ring 7 will be withdrawn from the groove in the top of the pan, and then by drawing the pad toward the lower end of the pan the nose-like extension 10 will be removed. After the pan has been thoroughly cleansed its reduced end is first inserted into the pocket formed by the noselike extension 10, and the pad is then forced down into place with the ring 7 fitting in the angular groove. In this connection it will be noted that it is not essential that the groove and ring 7 entirely surround the opening. The groove may be formed only at the side of the opening adjacent the tubular part 4, since the pocket 10, stretched over and in closing the end of the pan, will form, with the groove inclined toward such end, an effective securing means. By making the face of the pad of soft rubber a yielding bearing is had for the patient, and the resiliency thereof is enhanced by having this facing in the form of a pneumatic tube or tubes, the ends thereof being sealed. The pad may be readily secured to and removed from the pan, and both being of rubber are not liable to be readily damaged.

I am aware that it is not new to surround the opening of a bed-pan with a pneumatic cushion but the objections thereto are numerous. They are more difficult to keep 95 clean, their usefulness is impaired upon the slightest. injury thereto, and in addition they have to be supplied with air before they may be used. According to my invention even should the soft-rubber tubing forming the 100 facing of the pad be injured it would in no way impair the usefulness of the device, since the soft rubber has in itself sufficient resiliency to afford the patient the necessary ease and comfort and at the same time serve as a 10 5 protection against injury or sudden chilling.

I claim as my invention 1. A bed-pan composed of a vessel having an opening in its top, and a pad removably secured to said vessel around said opening, no

said pad having a covering composed of rubber tubing, the convolutions of which are close together.

2. A bed-pan composed of a vessel having an opening in its top, and a pad removably secured to said vessel around said opening, said pad having a covering composed of rub ber tubing the ends of which are closed, the convolutions of such tube or tubes being close together.

3. A bed-pan having an opening in its top and an angular groove adjacent said opening, and a pad having a flange or locking member accommodated by said groove, said pad extending over the top of said pan and formed with an opening registering with that of said pan and having a pocket inclosing the end of said pan, said pocket and said flange forming a removable securing means.

4. A bed-pan composed of a vessel of hard rubber having an opening in its top and an angular groove surrounding such opening, and a pad having a ring fitting in said groove, and an outer facing of soft-rubber tubing.

5. A bed-pan having an inclined topiprd vided with an opening and a surrounding groove, a pad having a ring fitted in said groove, and a pocket at one end to accommodate the lower end of the pan.

6. A bed-pan having an inclined top provided with an opening and a surrounding groove, .a pad having a ring fitted in said groove, and a pocket at one endto accommodate the lower end of the pan, and a facing of soft rubber extending over the pad and over the upper face of said pocket.

7. A bed-pan having an inclined top provided with an opening and a surrounding groove, a pad having a ring fitted in said groove, and a pocket at one end to accommodate the lower end of the pan, and a facing of pneumatic tubing extending over the pad and the upper portion of said pocket.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADELE E. BETTS. Witnesses:

FRANoIs S. MAGUIRE, JOHN H. HOLT. 

